Each NFL season seems to bring a lot of turnover among the best teams in the NFL, as free agency and the draft can cause a lot of attrition in the League. However, it's always fun to try and predict which teams will be at the top of the heap once the season ends.
At the top of any power rankings should be the New Orleans Saints, simply because they are the defending Super Bowl champions. They did not experience a whole lot of roster turnover, and so there will be a lot of the same faces. The offense should again be very explosive, as they will be quarterbacked by Drew Brees, the MVP of the League. Sean Payton is also in place, as he makes all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. If Gregg Williams can captain the defense to be as opportunistic as they were last season, the Saints will be strong contenders for the Super Bowl once again.
The Indianapolis Colts will be one of the best teams in the NFL as long as they still have Peyton Manning. He is one of the best QBs in the history of the game, and always seems to be make everyone around him perform at a higher level. They had two rookie WRs last year and an inconsistent running game, and still they were among the best teams in the NFL and almost won the Super Bowl. With the continuity that he provides for the offense, the Colts will be a great team once again.
Now that Brett Favre has returned from retirement, the Minnesota Vikings should again be among the top teams in the NFL. They have a lot of playmakers on offense, which will make them very difficult to gameplan against. If the Offensive Line can adequately protect Favre, they will put up a ton of points. The defense is getting older, but they are still among the best units in the League. They will be very hungry to get over the hump after just falling short last season.
It is shaping up to be a great NFL season, as there are a lot of great teams. The Saints, Colts, and Vikings were three of the best last season, and they look like three of the best heading into this season. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the best teams this year.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Monday, 21 June 2010
NBA Draft: Point Guard Preview
The point guard class of the 2010 NBA Draft class is not super deepn, but it is strong at the top. The top pick in the draft will be John Wall, a PG from Kentucky, one of the best prospects to enter the draft from the college game in a while.
Wall only played one season at Kentucky, but he mad the most of it. He is a dynamic athlete, and could eventually be the most athletic PG in the NBA at 6'4''. He is not a great shooter yet, but he has all of the other skills necessary to be a great PG in the Association. He is unselfish with the ball, extremely quick (he is lethal in transition, and can get to the rim almost any time he wants), and he steps up his game in big moments. He hit the game-winner in his first collegiate game. As a hyped freshman, he was among the nation's leaders in assists on a 3-loss team that was very young. He will be a great player, and will be excellent from day one.
The next best PG in the draft might be one of Wall's teammates, Eric Bledsoe. Even though he was largely overshadowed by Wall, pro scouts love his potential, and he is the only other true PG that has a chance to be drafted in the lottery. He can play on the ball or off the ball, has a good handle and jump shot, and should be a solid contributor in the NBA. He is not as ready as Wall to contribute in the NBA, but he should be a solid pro.
Terrico White out of Mississippi is not a true PG, but he should be able to play the position in the pros, kind of like Tyreke Evans (though he doesn't have that type of talent). He is very athletic, and can score in a variety of ways. He will be a solid player if he gets to go to a fast paced club.He can fill it up and make plays above the rim, which is vital for success as an athletic guard in the NBA. He has a chance to get drafted in the first round.
The PG position is not very deep at all, as likely only one point guard will get drafted in the lottery, and there will be very few true point guards in the draft. However it is strong at the top, as John Wall will be the top pick and the best player of this class, representing the point guard position well.
Wall only played one season at Kentucky, but he mad the most of it. He is a dynamic athlete, and could eventually be the most athletic PG in the NBA at 6'4''. He is not a great shooter yet, but he has all of the other skills necessary to be a great PG in the Association. He is unselfish with the ball, extremely quick (he is lethal in transition, and can get to the rim almost any time he wants), and he steps up his game in big moments. He hit the game-winner in his first collegiate game. As a hyped freshman, he was among the nation's leaders in assists on a 3-loss team that was very young. He will be a great player, and will be excellent from day one.
The next best PG in the draft might be one of Wall's teammates, Eric Bledsoe. Even though he was largely overshadowed by Wall, pro scouts love his potential, and he is the only other true PG that has a chance to be drafted in the lottery. He can play on the ball or off the ball, has a good handle and jump shot, and should be a solid contributor in the NBA. He is not as ready as Wall to contribute in the NBA, but he should be a solid pro.
Terrico White out of Mississippi is not a true PG, but he should be able to play the position in the pros, kind of like Tyreke Evans (though he doesn't have that type of talent). He is very athletic, and can score in a variety of ways. He will be a solid player if he gets to go to a fast paced club.He can fill it up and make plays above the rim, which is vital for success as an athletic guard in the NBA. He has a chance to get drafted in the first round.
The PG position is not very deep at all, as likely only one point guard will get drafted in the lottery, and there will be very few true point guards in the draft. However it is strong at the top, as John Wall will be the top pick and the best player of this class, representing the point guard position well.
Thursday, 10 June 2010
World Cup and NBA Finals
Like many people, I am not much of a soccer fan, but I do love the World Cup, which starts on Friday morning.
Perhaps the greatest sporting event in United States history is the Miracle on Ice in 1980. As I'm sure you remember, a team of U.S. Amateurs shocked the powerful Soviet Union team, going on to win the Olympic Gold Medal at Lake Placid.
Really, the World Cup is the best chance for something like that to ever be duplicated for the United States. It is our last popular sport in which we are extreme underdogs. If the USA were to win the World Cup, it would be even more shocking than the Miracle on Ice, indeed, the goal really is to get out of group play. It will be a fairly successful World Cup if that is all that we accomplish.
The United States is a team without an international star, hoping to get by on superior teammwork and unity. We won't win anything on talent alone (which is not to say that the talent level is terrible, it is not, but it is nowhere near other country powerhouses). It is very exciting... to root for your country in the biggest sporting even in the world, with the extra thrill of them being an underdog.
I wouldn't make any gambling deposits on them at a Moneybookers Casino, but it sure will be fun to watch them play and try to advance. They look as ready as they have been, as the team is playing well (second in the Confederations Cup last year), and Coach Bob Bradley has them playing as one unit.
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The Lakers have a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals after taking out Boston in a weird Game 3, and the series stays in Boston for games 4 and 5. Boston obviously needs a better effort from Ray Allen, who was as awful in Game 3 as he was brilliant in Game 2.
The bright spot for Boston was Kevin Garnett, who looked like he would provide very little in the series after games 1 and 2. However, he had a brilliant game 3, and put up numbers reminiscent of KG of old. If he can do that again this series, Boston should have a great chance, especially if Pierce and Allen step up.
If I was check out casino deposit options at something like the Roxy Palace Casino, my money would still be on the Lakers in this series. They have the best player in this series, and they might have the second best player as well (depending on whether you prefer Pau Gasol or Rajon Rondo.
It seems clear that home court does not matter that much anymore, as both teams have one on the opponents home court. This is a series that seems ready to go 7 games, and I'll take the Lakers at home in that one, giving Kobe a 5th title and firmly planting him as one of the 10 best players in NBA history.
All in all, it's a good time to be a sports fan!
Perhaps the greatest sporting event in United States history is the Miracle on Ice in 1980. As I'm sure you remember, a team of U.S. Amateurs shocked the powerful Soviet Union team, going on to win the Olympic Gold Medal at Lake Placid.
Really, the World Cup is the best chance for something like that to ever be duplicated for the United States. It is our last popular sport in which we are extreme underdogs. If the USA were to win the World Cup, it would be even more shocking than the Miracle on Ice, indeed, the goal really is to get out of group play. It will be a fairly successful World Cup if that is all that we accomplish.
The United States is a team without an international star, hoping to get by on superior teammwork and unity. We won't win anything on talent alone (which is not to say that the talent level is terrible, it is not, but it is nowhere near other country powerhouses). It is very exciting... to root for your country in the biggest sporting even in the world, with the extra thrill of them being an underdog.
I wouldn't make any gambling deposits on them at a Moneybookers Casino, but it sure will be fun to watch them play and try to advance. They look as ready as they have been, as the team is playing well (second in the Confederations Cup last year), and Coach Bob Bradley has them playing as one unit.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Lakers have a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals after taking out Boston in a weird Game 3, and the series stays in Boston for games 4 and 5. Boston obviously needs a better effort from Ray Allen, who was as awful in Game 3 as he was brilliant in Game 2.
The bright spot for Boston was Kevin Garnett, who looked like he would provide very little in the series after games 1 and 2. However, he had a brilliant game 3, and put up numbers reminiscent of KG of old. If he can do that again this series, Boston should have a great chance, especially if Pierce and Allen step up.
If I was check out casino deposit options at something like the Roxy Palace Casino, my money would still be on the Lakers in this series. They have the best player in this series, and they might have the second best player as well (depending on whether you prefer Pau Gasol or Rajon Rondo.
It seems clear that home court does not matter that much anymore, as both teams have one on the opponents home court. This is a series that seems ready to go 7 games, and I'll take the Lakers at home in that one, giving Kobe a 5th title and firmly planting him as one of the 10 best players in NBA history.
All in all, it's a good time to be a sports fan!
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